“Hey, Yanru, come to the class reunion. Your three roommates will be there!”

“How can we have our 10-year reunion without you?!”

…

Fang Yanru stood outside the hotel and watched the beaming neon lights in a daze.

She could not understand what came over her when she accepted the old class president’s request to attend the class reunion.

She tidied her hair, adjusted the jade pendant that hung against the middle of her V-shaped neckline, and perched her Gucci sunglasses on top of her head before stepping forward in her high heels.

Despite all her preparations, she still halted herself, hesitating in front of the reserved private room that the class president had told her about.

As she pushed through the doors, Fang Yanru was greeted with interiors that were bustling with excitement. She took a quick look around. That woman was not here yet.

Most of the familiar faces have changed. Some were proud and astute. Others were timid and uncertain…

The previously quiet Xiaoping, who often sat in a corner, had aged considerably. Fang Yanru heard that she had managed to get a position as a civil servant after graduation, and was none too happy about it.

The one with the volatile temper, Zhen Susu, looked okay. Though her clothing was a bit pompous, Fang Yanru knew that those luxury goods were old and long out of fashion. Just like how she was in the past, she was trying too hard.

…

Fang Yanru walked towards her previous dorm mates and sat down in the center.

She immediately felt the accumulation of stares. Some were envious, some were jealous, and some were angry…

She was used to it.

She always knew that people loved money, and those without wealth were jealous of those who do.

The class president now worked as a salesman at a company. He had previously come to Yanru’s house to ask for favors, And now that she had appeared, he had been escorting one person after another before her to rub elbows.

See that? This is how it should be.

“Sorry I’m late!”

The refreshing and clear voice was like a blast to the past.

It was Jin Xiuzhu.

Now in her thirties, she had a slim waist, her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she wore a simple white T-shirt, jeans, and a pair of running shoes. None of which were expensive brands, but overall, she looked neat and comfortable.

She had not changed one bit.

Fang Yanru could not understand why she was feeling a little annoyed.

Doesn’t Chen Wentian make a lot of money? What was she trying to do? Afraid that those old classmates would cosy up to try and take advantage of her?!

Hypocritical goody-two-shoes!

Jin Xiuzhu hastened her footsteps. She weaved through the crowd and sat down next to Fang Yanru. Now all four dorm mates have finally regrouped after 10 long years.

Fang Yanru’s face stiffened as she listened to her peers chat enthusiastically as if nothing had changed.

Did she not notice Zhen Susu’s dress? Or Huang Xiaoping’s sullen expression?

Was it meaningful to talk to these people?

During the entire meal, Fang Yanru never stopped talking, and neither did Jin Xiuzhu.

From her peripheral, she could see that Jin Xiuzhu’s eyes were filled with delight as she reminisced about the past. Even the depressed Zhen Susu and Huang Xiaoping looked much more relaxed.

Today’s gathering did not include a lot of activities because, in 6 months, their school would be hosting their hundredth year anniversary, so there would be even more people planning on attending.

Hence, the crowd quickly scattered after dinner.

The people flitted past one another. Fang Yanru waited for her ride outside the hotel and trained her eyes forward, refusing to turn around as she listened to the excited chatter that made her sneer. Are they seriously planning on keeping touch? Classless people just stay classless.

She waited impatiently for her ride, wondering when her chauffeur would appear.

It suddenly became quiet behind her, and someone patted her shoulder.

It was Jin Xiuzhu.

“Long time no see. I wish you good luck.” She tilted her head with a sweet smile; her eyes were filled with sincerity.

Fang Yanru was stunned, and could only bring herself to nod in agreement.

Then she watched as Jin Xiuzhu took two small steps and stopped in front of a black Mercedes-Benz.

A man pushed open the car door and got out of the passenger seat from the back.

It was Chen Wentian.

Together with Xiuzhu, they waved and bid her farewell. Chen Wentian then hugged Xiuzhu and boarded the car, and the vehicle disappeared further and further away.

Heh.

Not long after, Fang Yanru’s ride also arrived. It was a black Bentley.

Her surrounding classmates were envious. Despite reaching their 30s, the supposedly composed crowd unconsciously let out sounds of envy.

She ignored all of it as she boarded the car, closed the door, and felt the lingering cold of the night’s air.

Yup, she still hated Jin Xiuzhu.

It’s nice to be rich, so why wasn’t she envious? Why wasn’t she jealous?

Such a hypocrite.

…

What she thought was the most difficult challenge somehow passed unceremoniously.

The years passed in a blink of an eye, and the now 60-year-old Dan Jingqiu was laying in bed, surrounded by her children and grandchildren; her heart was filled with calmness.

There was a faint smile on her lips, her gaze was warm, as if she was trying to record every moment deep in her memory.

Since she entered this world, these beautiful young ladies have now entered their middle ages, but the three of them were still the same in Dan Jingqiu’s heart as the first time she laid eyes on them.

Lingzhu had cried to the point that she could no longer spear. An honest-looking man stood behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and gently stroked her hair. This was Lingzhu’s husband, Zhang De.

Zhang De had average looks, but he had a talent in cooking. After Dan Jingqiu’s health declined in the last few years, he was the one helping her in the kitchens.

With how mature and honest he looked right now, who would have guessed that he was once a second-year student who went around challenging restaurants in culinary battles. That was when he met her pampered Lingzhu, and it was love at first sight. Ignoring his parents’ concerns over love between an older woman and a younger man, he wooed Lingzhu for three years before he was successful.

Dan Jingqiu recalled that she was worried that the plotline…would cause Lingzhu to meet the same end as the original story. Her constant worries even made her fall ill out of stress. This was also partially due to the weak constitution of the original character’s body.

Had she not fallen ill, she would not have discovered…

Her “kind” and “easily bullied” Lingzhu had been pampered to an entirely different person. Standing outside the sick ward, Lingzhu was lightly tugging on Zhang De’s ear and telling him that he was wrong. That firm yet loving gesture was something she had never seen before,

After secretly observing for some time, Dan Jingqiu finally realized… Her daughter utterly bullied the tall and strong man. Talk about taking a beating silently. He would occasionally test Lingzhu’s temper and welcome her loving punches with open arms. (The power behind these small punches would depend on the bruises Zhang De revealed whenever he came to borrow ointment.)

This resolved one worry in Dan Jingqiu’s mind and created another. Would her daughter go too far and end up destroying her chance at marriage?

Fortunately, as the old saying goes, if there’s one who’s willing to dish it, there’s another who’s willing to take it.

The pair finally tied the knot and now operated the Golden Autumn Eatery together.

She moved her gaze further out to watch a tired Xiuzhu who spent the night accompanying her without rest, had collapsed against the table, and fallen asleep. Her husband, Chen Wentian, carefully draped a coat over her body.

Her second daughter, Xiuzhu, and Chen Wentian had a strong relationship.

Chen Wentian was deeply in love with Xiuzhu, and without the “evil mother” coming in between them, their relationship had advanced leaps and bounds. Not long after she introduced Chen Wentian to her dorm mates, Xiuzhu shyly brought her boyfriend to their doorstep.

That day, Dan Jingqiu realized this man had a one-track mind and was hopelessly oblivious. Only a silly sweetheart like Xiuzhu would remain by his side through thick and thin.

As far as she knew, the female lead made many more attempts to demean Xiuzhu.

But naturally, all these acts were utterly useless against the King of Obliviousness.

As for the financial pressure… it was undeniable that the ‘protagonist halo’ exists in this world. (T/L: Protagonist Halo is a phrase to describe a cheat that male and female protagonists have in their worlds. In other words, they cannot truly be harmed in their stories.)

When there were no more obstacles hindering Chen Wentian’s company, the business boomed. And like a dark horse, it overtook its competition and left them in the dust.

Speaking of her worries…

Dan Jingqiu’s gaze landed on her younger daughter, Wanzhu, who had just returned from sending the grandchildren back home.

The original story’s most innocent character has now become the most “lawless” one of all.

Back then, for the sake of Chen Wentian, the female lead secretly revealed that Lin Lin and she were childhood sweethearts, with the intent to sow discord to their family.

Upon learning the truth, Wanzhu stood outside their house and admonished Lin Lin for being a liar, and cried all the way back home.

Later, a worried Dan Jingqiu entered Wanzhu’s room to find…

Her youngest daughter, hiding under the covers with trembling shoulders…

And the sounds of laughter.

Till today, the pair often took vacations together and remained quite close.

But their relationship was always on and off.

Based on Lin Lin’s words, it was her own daughter that was unwilling to make an honest man out of him.

But as a good mother who would never pressure marriage, she refused to force her daughter in that direction.

“Host, your current body’s lifespan would terminate in half an hour. Please prepare yourself.”

The sudden robotic voice in her brain was exceptionally refreshing. It belonged to System 008, which had been playing dead for the longest time. This also made Dan Jingqiu, who was immersed in this character for 20 years, realized —— Right, this was never her own life.

But she could not think about any of that and felt an immense reluctance….

Raising her hand, her surrounding daughters and son-in-laws all rushed over. Even the sleeping Xiuzhu was woken up by Chen Wentian. After all, everyone had an inkling of what was about to happen.

“I am going to go find your father now…” Dan Jingqiu lips curled into a peaceful smile.

“I leave the Golden Autumn Eatery to your oldest sister and brother-in-law since none of you know how to cook…As for the savings, divide it between Xiuzhu and Wanzhu. Leave the family home on Lychee street to Wanzhu. After all, she’s not married yet, so she must have a house…”

As she addressed how everything would be distributed, her three daughters wept uncontrollably and shook their heads.

They were not the least bit concerned over the money. They just couldn’t bear the inevitable…

“Lingzhu, don’t be stubborn and learn to be a role model for the children…don’t always bully our Ah De.” Struggling to lift her hand, Dan Jingqiu pulled both their hands to her, “Ah De, please be patient with our Lingzhu. She throws a tantrum every once in a while because her father and I failed to give her an adequate sense of security…so I’ll be relying on you for that.”

The three of them held on to each other tightly. Lingzhu’s tears have dripped all over their hands. She would have collapsed were she not leaning against her husband and supported by his arm. Zhang De’s eyes were also red with tears as he nodded furiously, hoping to give his mother-in-law a peace of mind.

Dan Jingqiu shifted her gaze to the back. Lingzhu and her husband knew their mother wanted to relay some last words to Xiuzhu and her husband, so they slowly retreated back. Xiu Zhu threw herself by her mother’s side.

“I’m not as worried about Xiuzhu and Wentian. As long as the two of you are together and well, there’s nothing you can’t weather…” She blinked softly at her son-in-law, “Now, I’m really leaving my daughter in your care, promise me that you would treat her well…”

Chen Wentian loudly agreed. His voice was slightly hoarse, so Dan Jingqiu knew he would keep his promise.

Without waiting for her to say anything, her youngest and most pampered daughter immediately raced to her bedside and placed her head under her palm, and wailed desperately.

“Our Wanzhu is the most spoiled. Originally I had a lot to tell you, but when I think about it, I realized that if I asked you to marry, buy a house, and whatnot, my Wanzhu would have forced herself and do it, and that would not make me happy… I only hope that you will do whatever you set your heart on and continue to be happy…”

Surrounded by daughters who were by her side for so long, all her reluctance turned into bliss. Her present self could not imagine what would have happened if her three good daughters were to face the same adversity as before.

She never regretted a single day…

“Don’t cry. I’m only going to see your father. I lived a really happy life, with the three of you as my precious daughters…” Her voice gradually faded, and her eyelids grew heavier as she descended into darkness.

Feeling the icy coldness in her hand, Wanzhu collapsed against her mother’s body and sobbed. Seeing that their mother’s chest no longer moved, Xiuzhu and Lingzhu both leaned against their husband’s shoulders and bawled.

Birth, old age, sickness, and death are all a part of the human condition.

…

“Mission 1: Help the original character’s 3 daughters attain happiness. Complete.”

“Mission 2: Become a loving mother to her daughters. Complete.”

…

The sounds of machinery echoed in the empty space. Dan Jingqiu had originally intended to take a quiet breather and barely had time to respond when the silent space was suddenly filled with crying sounds.

Suddenly, an image of a plain woman appeared in the system space. Her cries were so muffled that it would have been impossible to hear if one was not paying attention.

Like a small animal, the soft voice consistently echoed: “Why is everyone bullying me…”

Hur hur.

Dan Jingqiu knew this garbage of a System was planning on working her to death.

The doors to the new world are opening…